New Light
by d3viouslyinsane
Summary: This was originally posted on my xxxinubabyxxx account, but it is being moved and continued here. Same story, same author, same everything.
1. The Heart Aching

His ruby eyes glared out the window; rays of sunshine shone down on the school yard. A light breeze tickled the branches of the trees and made them sway. The first day of spring looked so peaceful outside. Inside it was quite the opposite. Students were walking around the room of class 1-D. Everybody was talking animatedly as they waited for the bell to ring; however, _he_ sat alone at his desk by the window. He held his head in the palm of his hand; his eyes held an unfocused glare as he stared out the window. The light chatter of his fellow classmates sounded so distant. The school bell chimed, and the loud sound of feet shuffling out the door filled the room. He stayed in his seat by the window.

"Oh wait Yuki!" It was her. Her voice was so clear amongst the chaos of everything else; Tohru Honda.

"What is it Miss Honda?" came the smooth voice of his cousin, Yuki Sohma. Every time he heard Yuki's voice it made his blood boil.

"What about Kyo?" Tohru wondered. A pang of hurt made his heart ache when she said his name. "Isn't he coming home with us?"

"No, I don't think so." Yuki stated dryly. "The stupid cat is probably too busy sulking." Kyo clenched his teeth together, but he didn't move from his spot.

"Why? Is Kyo upset about something?" Tohru asked. His heart lurched in pain again. Kyo quickly stood up. His head hung low and his orange hair covered his eyes. "Kyo...are you...?"

"NO! I AM NOT OKAY!" He yelled. Kyo brought his head up. His eyes were wide with fury. "JUST STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM ME!" In one swift movement, Yuki ran across the room and was right in front of Kyo. The back of Yuki's hand connected with Kyo's cheek in a harsh slap.

"Watch how you speak to Miss Honda. She didn't do anything to you." Yuki hissed. Kyo's blood was boiling. How he wanted to kick the rat's face in. His fist clenched tightly. Kyo quickly turned on his heel and dashed towards the window.

"JUST LEAVE ME THE HELL ALONE!" he yelled as he opened the window and jumped out. Tohru let out a small gasp and ran to the window just in time to see Kyo get up from landing on all fours and take off running.

"Oh Kyo." she whispered.

"What is it Miss Honda?" Yuki asked as he appeared next to Tohru. "If you are worried about that stupid cat, then you're wasting your time."

"But Yuki, he's acting just like he did when I first met him." Tohru said. "I'm a little sad, and I'm afraid, Yuki."

"Why are you afraid Miss Honda?"

"Because... I think that _I_ might be the reason Kyo is angry."

* * *

Kyo ran as fast as he could towards the Sohma house. Of course, his older cousin, Shigure, would be sitting in his study ready to question him; however, Kyo didn't care. The flamboyant novelist wouldn't dare bother Kyo if he went to the roof. Kyo walked into the house with every intention to bolt to the roof, but when Shigure came out of his study and said something, Kyo stopped. It wasn't the fact that Shigure said anything that made Kyo stop; it was what he said.

"Hatori called." the dog had said. "He said that Akito wishes to see you."


	2. An Unloved Monster

A/N: I am going to be referring to Akito as a girl. She is a girl in the manga, and this is before Tohru even knows that Akito isn't a guy, so yeah. I thought about calling Akito 'He' until then, but I think this way is much better.

* * *

The way up to the Sohma Main house felt so agonizing. Akito, the head of the Sohma family, could have anything planned for the young cat. As much as he hated to admit it, it scared Kyo; it really did. Upon reaching the door to Akito's room, Kyo heard the Sohma head's voice beckoning him in. "It's been a long time, hasn't it Kyo?" The cat grew tense. He always hated being at the main house.

"Yeah." Kyo said. He saw Akito sitting by the open door that lead out to the garden. Her arm was extended for a bird that was perched on her hand. Akito's fingers were closed over the bird's feet, and its wings were flapping wildly as it tried to get free.

"So, I hear that you've shared your disgusting form with Miss Tohru Honda." Akito said casually, her fingers were still closed on the bird's feet. Its wings were flapping wildly still. Just watching the poor creature made Kyo think of his own situation. No matter how hard he tries, Kyo will never escape his curse _or_ Akito. "Well?"

"Yeah." the cat mumbled. The painful memories were resurfacing, and Kyo couldn't keep the hurt he held in his heart from reaching his voice.

"Why the sad voice Kyo?" Akito asked as she got up. She pulled her robes tightly around her and then walked over towards the orange-haired boy. "What has made you so upset?" Kyo stayed silent and stared at a spot on the floor even as Akito circled around him and even when she put her arms over his shoulders from behind. "Could it be that she was disgusted and scared away?" Tears were welling up in Kyo's eyes, but he kept them from falling. He would not cry in front of Akito. "No? Well then could it be that Miss Tohru Honda does not love you?" Kyo's body flinched, and the cat could just picture the smile that had spread over Akito's face. "That's it? She doesn't love you? Don't tell me that you allowed yourself to fall in love with that stupid girl?" Akito's voice sounded a tad agitated, but she still managed to keep that slick, oily tone of voice. She let her arms slide off of Kyo and she turned to face him. "Did you fall in love with her?"

"No." Kyo whispered angrily, and his cheek was met with a harsh slap.

"Don't lie to me!" Akito snapped. "Never lie to me! You can't ever lie to me!! I am God! Do you hear me? You can never escape me! You can't lie to me!!" Kyo would have flinched away from Akito, but that would have only made things worse. Instead he stood there and pretended to not even feel anything. It was almost as if he were numb, but not quite. It was like he was waking up from anesthesia. He could still feel some of the affects, but it didn't keep him from feeling pain. It just cushioned the blow. Akito regained her composure and tightened her robes again. Her arms snaked around Kyo's neck, and he could feel Akito's breath on his face. "You shouldn't have fallen for her you know." She said. "It's not like she would ever love you in return. Who could ever love anyone as repulsive as you? You're a freak; a monster. And she doesn't even know that you're the reason her mother is dead." Kyo brought his head up to face Akito at the mention of Kyoko.

"It wasn't my fault!!" He felt the faint sting of Akito's hand against his face again. Nails were scratching into the base of his neck.

"She would hate you if she knew that." Akito continued on. "I wouldn't be surprised if she hates you now. Especially after you showed her that ugly true form of yours." Kyo wanted so desperately to just run away. Maybe go back to the mountains and be away from it all. "Remember, no one could ever love a monster like you, Kyo." Akito withdrew from the cat and went back to her place by the door. "Hatori!!" she called, and the doctor came in soon after.

"What is it, Akito?" he said in his deep voice.

"Run a bath for me. My skin feels so dirty." Hatori nodded and walked out of the room. On the way to the door, he gave Kyo a sorrowful look that looked as if it were supposed to be apologetic. Akito turned her head towards the young cat. "You can go now." She said with a wicked smile on her face. Kyo walked out of the main house and all the way to the gate where he broke into a run. He wasn't running towards the house where Shigure, Yuki and Tohru were. He didn't know where he was running, he was just letting his feet carry him...that is until he ran into someone.

"Ouch!" Came a girl's voice. "Watch where you're going!" It was someone from his school. She had dark brown hair that looked almost black and pale skin. Kyo didn't bother to pay much attention, he just mumbled a small apology and kept running until he found himself at the park he used to play at as a kid. He took a seat on one of the swings and sat there into the night.


	3. The Heart In Longing

She walked home after picking herself up off the ground, the image of that tuft of orange hair was still in her mind. He seemed familiar, but she couldn't quite figure it out. She walked home still pondering about the boy she ran into, or rather slammed into. He seemed to be in such a hurry. He was coming out of the house next to them. Wasn't that the Sohma house?

"Kyo Sohma." she said as she walked in the door. Her mom, who was sweeping up the front hallway looked at her daughter.

"What did you say Nana?" Mrs. Higurashi asked. Nana shook her head.

"No mom. Just thinking aloud." The elder Higurashi heaved a playful sigh.

"Thinking aloud about that Sohma boy again? How long have you had a crush on him? Almost a month?" Nana's face held a bright red blush. It was a wonder that even though it was just the two of them, Nana's mom could still embarass her.

"Cut it out mom!" She whined. "Besides, he doesn't even notice me." She added in a mumble. Mrs. Higurashi set the broom against the wall and walked over to her daughter. Her slippered feet made a soft padding sound against the wooden floor. She pulled Nana's face to look at her.

"Maybe you should tell him then?"

"But mom! He hates it when all the other girls fall all over him! What would make me any different?" Nana pulled away from her mother and sat to take off her shoes. Mrs. Higurashi watched as Nana put her house slippers on and trudged up to her room. There she went to turn on her music. Her friend's mp3 was placed into it and songs from the band that her bubbly friend recommended blasted through the speakers. The sound of a soft guitar beginning started the song and the man's melodic voice intertwined with the rest of the music.

_Akehanashita mado ni mawaru ranbu no DEEP SKY_

_AH aoide..._

Nana had heard this song before, but it was sung by a girl, wasn't it? Mika...something.

_"kurikaesu hibi ni nan no imi ga aru no?"_

_AH sakende..._

_tobidasu GO_

Mika...Nakashima? Yeah, that's who originally sang this song. It was in a movie she watched. One with the same name as her. Nana.

_hakitsubushita ROCKING SHOES_

_haneageru PUDDLE_

_furashubakku_

_kimi wa CLEVER_

_AH, REMEMBER_

_ano niji wo watatte ano asa ni kaeritai_

_ano yume wo narabete futari aruita GLAMOROUS DAYS_

The song was so soothing, yet Nana's mind still tried to remember the name of the band who was singing. They did a good job of it.

* * *

"Oh Nana! You have to listen to Girugamesh!" Kira squeeled. "They're soooo good! They even did a cover of that one song you like! 'Glorious Nights'?"

"'Glamorous Sky'" Nana corrected her friend. "Really? That's cool." The young Higurashi tried to seem interested, and it seemed to work for the most part. Kira handed Nana her mp3 player telling her that she had a bunch of their songs on there.

"I love 'Volcano', but then again, 'Kosaki Uta -Kaijou Kata Enban' is one of my favorites too-"

"Uh, Kira?" Nana interrupted her babbling friend. "I have to get going. My mom is expecting me." Kira was a little upset that Nana had stopped her gushing over her new favorite band, but she still let the Higurashi go. Kira Arukawa was one of the girls who was crushing on both Yuki and Kyo Sohma. She wasn't in the fanclubs, but when she wasn't chatting about music, make-up and gossip, she was talking about Kyo and Yuki. One time she had even brought up the topic of what if those two had a gay relationship.

"What?" She had snapped. "That would be so hot! I mean, imagine Yuki gripping at Kyo's orange hair as Kyo-"

"Don't even say that! That's so gross!" Nana said in an attempt to hush Kira. She really didn't want to picture Kyo doing anything like that to Yuki. Especially since she liked Kyo. She would never admit that allowed, but she liked him. She really did.

* * *

_"akewatashita ai ni nan no kachi mo nai no?"_

_AH nageite_

_hakidasu GO_

_nomihoshite ROCK N' ROLL_

_iki ageru BATTLE_

_furashubakku_

_kimi no FLAVOR_

_AH REMEMBER_

Nana slumped down on her bed and lay back. The song was so mesmerizing, and it made her forget about her flaky friend and only have the Sohma boy in her mind. Was she obsessed? Could it be that she's like the rest of his fan club? No. It couldn't be. As much as she liked him, she didn't get so close to him and constantly watch him like he was a zoo attraction. He didn't follow him around or giggle at everything he does and squeal at how cute he can be at times. She kept it inside and admired him from afar. Besides, it was better this way. There was no embarassing rejection of writing a love letter, and he wasn't constatnly getting annoyed with her. It was better this way.

_ano hoshi wo atsumete kono mune ni kazaritai_

_ano yume wo tsunaide futari odotta GLAMOROUS DAYS_

_Mm...GLAMOROUS DAYS_

_nemurenai yo!_

_SUNDAY MONDAY_

_inazuma TUESDAY_

_WEDNESDAY THURSDAY_

_yukibana... OH..._

_FRIDAY SATURDAY_

_nanairo EVERYDAY_

_yamikumo kieru FULL MOON_

_kotaete boku no koe ni_

Nana's eyelids got heavier. She could feel the day's exhaustion finally catching up to her. The music started to sound far off, but in a way, it was crystal clear. She could still hear the last few verses clearly as she drifted off to sleep.

_ano kumo wo haratte kimi no mirai terashitai_

_kono yume wo kakaete hitori aruku yo GLORIOUS DAYS_

_ano niji wo watatte ano asa ni kaerirai_

_ano yume wo narabete futari aruita GLMOROUS DAYS_

_GLAMOROUS SKY_


	4. Memories Resurfaced

Kyo walked into the room and tried hard not to look over at his cousin. Yuki was sitting on the edge of a desk next to Tohru, and Kyo really didn't want to see either of them. For one, Yuki just pissed him off, and two, it hurt every time he looked at her. The words she cried that night were still fresh in his mind.

* * *

She clung to his arm for dear life as he flung her around like a rag doll. Her body hit the muddy ground and some of the rocks around them. Yuki tried to hold him down and keep him from running away.

"I'm sorry." She had said. "I'm such a fool. I'm scared, Kyo. Right now I'm scared of you." Of course she was scared. Who wouldn't be scared of his ugly true form? He was hideous and smelt of rotting flesh. "But still," Tohru continued. "I want you to come back with us. I want you to stay in that house with us, and study with us, and eat meals with us, because...because, Kyo..." His eyes had widened. He could feel his heart pounding beneath his leathery skin. "Kyo, your friendship is something I treasure so much." His heart had skipped a beat when she said that. Friends? Was that all they were? She had come into his life with a smile, made him feel like someone cared for him, and all she wanted was to be friends? "Kyo, you're my best-" Kyo had swung her off of his arm, and kicked Yuki away with such strength. He wanted more than anything to be away. He didn't want them to see him while his heart broke into a million pieces. Maybe Akito was right. No one could ever love a monster like him.

* * *

A body moving in front of him broke him from his painful memory. Kyo looked up to see a group of girls crowding around a blonde girl. She was a thin girl, but she wasn't overly skinny like some of the others. Her bleached hair rested at her shoulder, and her honey brown eyes had a hopeful glint in them. Her bangs were pushed to the side in a side sweep like some of the American girls they saw in model magazines. Her skin was slightly tanned. She let one of her arms rest by her side while the other hand was resting on her hip, and a smile was on her lips. She was very pretty, but Kyo really didn't seem to notice.

"What the hell do you want?" he said with an acidic tone. Some of the girl's smiles faltered, but the one in front didn't let any fear show. She leaned over onto the desk to bring her face closer. The top on her school uniform was pulled down a little so that her cleavage would show. Kyo kept his eyes locked with hers.

"I like you." She said abruptly. So much for beating around the bush. "Let's go out." What was this, somekind of joke? Sure, Kyo had been told by a few of his girl classmates that they like him, but never like this. Usually, the girls would be blushing like crazy as they stutter to get what they had to say out. Then they would thrust a letter, or some kind of trinket at him, and then he would turn them down. So why was this girl being so forward?

"I'm not interested." Kyo said just abruptly as the girl had said she liked him. Many of the girls behind her made sounds of content at the blonde's rejection. The blonde leaned in closer.

"Aw, don't be like that." She cooed. "Just get to know me. I really do like you." Some of the girls behind her growled. She went to put her hands on his shoulders, but then he suddenly got up. His body swerved a little to escape the girl's touch.

"I said I'm not interested!" Kyo snapped. "Now just leave me alone!" He moved quickly around his fanclub and headed towards the door where he bumped into someone.

"Oh, sorry." said the girl he bumped into, and when Kyo got a better look at her, he realized it was the same girl he ran into the night he came out of the Sohma Main House. She had slightly pale skin that looked like it had just a little peach tint to it. Her dark brown hair went past her collar bone and curled inwards. She had dark blue eyes that blinked in surprise. "Excuse me." she said in a meek tone and she rushed to her seat by the blonde girl who was just hitting on watched her walk to her seat, and when she finally sat down, he left the room. Who was that girl? Her name started with an N. N-something.

* * *

Nana came to her seat near Kira. She could still feel Kyo's eyes on her back as she walked to her friend.

"Nana, Kyo Sohma is staring at you." Kira whispered as she eyed the orange haired boy. Nana wanted to turn around and look, maybe even smile at him, but she was nervous. She didn't want to look like the girls who were falling all over him. He got really annoyed with them. "Oh, wait. Never mind. He left already." Kira had a light smile on her face. She kept staring at the space where she said Kyo had been standing. Nana turned around to see if the Sohma was there, but it was just as the Arukawa had said: he had already left.

"Kira, what are you-"

"I confessed to him today." Kira said suddenly causing Nana to stop mid sentence. "I told Kyo Sohma that I liked him."

"R-really now?" Nana stuttered. Surely Kyo wasn't interested. Nana prayed that he had turned Kira down.

"Yeah. He turned me down though." the blonde Arukawa said as she brought herself to look at Nana. "Looks like you might have some competition."

"Wha-what?!" Kira giggled a little.

"Oh, nothing." She said with a smile. That smile made Nana nervous. Was she really going to fight her best friend for the affection of one guy? Was it really worth it it? Kyo never liked anyone at the school, and he was really like a bad ass at the school. At least until a hoard of cats came by him that is. But lately, he had seemed to have fallen into a stupor, and he was even more on edge. Did she really want to compete against Kira for him? Would Kyo even like her? He probably just thought of her as that stupid girl who couldn't watch where she was going. He probably didn't even know her name.


	5. False Liking

Kyo walked around all day with his thoughts wandering to different things. He thought about that blonde girl, the blonde girl's friend, that damn rat, and most of all, Tohru. He didn't want to go home to the house and see her again. It would cause too much trouble. Kyo had seen flyers around the school about a martial arts club after school, and he had actually thought about it, but there was the problem of it being a coed team. There was a good chance he would transform in the middle of flipping someone over. That would cause even more trouble for him and Akito would surely be outraged by it. It seemed that there really wasn't anything for Kyo to do.

"Damn it!" Kyo cursed. "What am I supposed to do after school?!"

"Uh, excuse me?" Kyo whirled around at the sound of the voice and turned to see the girl he kept bumping into. "Did you say that you wanted to have something to do after school?" Kyo looked at her a bit as he tried to remember her name. N….something.

"Uh, yeah." He said. Kyo looked away from her and put his hands behind his head.

"Well, why don't you join the kendo club?" The girl suggested. "I know that you're really strong, and I think that kendo would suit you." The girl had a slight pink tint to her face that Kyo noticed as his eyes fell on her. His head was still held upwards as if looking past the girl.

"No, I don't think it would." Kyo finally said after a while. "Hey, what's wrong with your face? It's all pink." The pink tint on the girl's face grew to a dark shade of red. She let out a small 'oh!' in embarrassment.

"I'm sorry; I hadn't realized that I was blushing." The girl laughed lightly. It was airy and it reminded Kyo of something musical; he just couldn't quite put his finger on what it was. "I guess it's just that I'm half expecting one of your fan girls to come out and tackle me." She laughed again. Kyo stared at her. Was she trying to make fun of him or something? Or maybe she was comparing him to that damn Yuki.

"I'm not that damn Yuki you know." He said in an agitated tone of voice. "The girls don't worship the ground I walk on like the do for him." The girl giggled again.

"Then you obviously haven't been paying attention." She said. "There are a lot of girls who like you. They say how strong you are and how handsome you are. Some even say you have a roguish charm. At least, that's what my friend Kira says."

"Is that the blonde girl I saw you sitting with?"

"Yeah. That's her." The girl said with a little less enthusiasm. "She said she confessed to you." Kyo brought his head back down to look at her. Did she not like her all that much? It was annoying Kyo that women were so hard to read. They had too many emotions.

"Yeah, she did. I'm told her to go away though." Kyo scoffed. "All these girls are so annoying." The girl laughed once more. "Are you laughing at me? You know, you're really starting to piss me off. Just who the hell are you?"

"I'm Nana. Nana Higurashi." Kyo growled a bit at her before he turned away and started to walk.

'_Nana.'_ Kyo thought as he walked away. Why was he thinking of her? He hardly knew her and yet he felt like he did. Her brown hair, her sweet smile, that blush, her laugh; it all reminded him of Tohru. It reminded him of Tohru Honda, and yet his heart didn't lurch in pain. Perhaps this girl could help him get past his pain and still allow him to love Tohru. Kyo turned around; he hadn't realized that he stopped walking. Nana was just a little ways away. She really wasn't that far.

"Hey! Nana!" Kyo yelled, and the Higurashi turned around. "When does kendo club start?" A small smile spread across her face.

"Right now."


	6. Unwanted Visitor

He brought down the bamboo stick with such force that it made a thunderous sound as it hit the bamboo that his opponent was wielding. Sweat dripped from his skin as the muscles in his arms tightened and relaxed with every swing. A sharp pain shot through his ankle as his opponent brought her stick of bamboo underneath him and made him fall onto the mats below. Within a split second, his opponent was towering over him with her bamboo stick inches from his nose.

"I win again Kyo." She said as she offered her hand to kelp the orange-haired youth up. He scoffed at her.

"Whatever Nana." Kyo got up and slammed the kendo stick to the ground. "Damn it! Why can't I get any better at this?!" Nana laughed lightly at Kyo's tantrum. It was rather amusing to watch one of the cutest guys in school who just so happened to be a bad ass martial artist throw a fit. It was just to funny. "And what the hell are you laughing at?!"

"Sorry Kyo." Nana said between her giggles. "But if you keep up like that, then you'll never get any better. You just need more practice." Again, Kyo scoffed at the girl. "Well, that's it for practice anyways, so maybe we can train more tomorrow. I'm going to go hit the showers." Nana walked away towards the girls' locker room, pulling her hair out of the loose ponytail the whole way there. Her dark brown hair reached the middle of her back. It was just as long as Tohru's hair. Kyo's lips twitched upwards into a sort of half smile.

It had been a week since Kyo had started the kendo club and began training with Nana, and all that time, he was thinking of Tohru. Nana reminded him of Tohru. _His_ Tohru. For a split second he felt a little guilty. Nana was really nice, but Kyo was just using her. When he was around her, he was able to think of Tohru without the pain that usually followed. It was because that even though Nana reminded the Sohma boy of his love, she still wasn't Tohru, and that made it a bit bearable. It didn't make sense to him, but he didn't have to look at Tohru and feel that pain of his memories resurfacing when he was with Nana. What he was doing was unfair to the Higurashi girl, but he really couldn't help it. It was that selfish impulse that all humans had. Still, it was wrong to use her.

Kyo put his kendo stick back in the storage closet and headed towards the boys' locker room to get a quick shower and change back into his school uniform. As he was coming out, he saw Nana packing up the rest of her things into her bag. She was already back in her uniform, and her hair was dried and back into a ponytail. Kyo could see the cord to her hair dryer sticking out of her back pack.

* * *

Nana picked up her bag and slung it onto her back and headed out the door. She felt as if someone was staring, but she didn't want to look stupid by glancing over her shoulder at Kyo. I mean, wouldn't that just look desperate? It would be like giving one last longing look to a lover before departing. Unfortunately, Kyo wasn't her lover, so she wasn't about to look back at him like he was. No, Nana just walked home.

It was sunset as Nana walked down the streets to her small home. Upon arrival, she saw a sleek black car in the driveway. A groan escaped her lips. Her father decided to pay a visit. As Nana approached the door, she could hear the muffled yells of her parents and she noticed that the front door was ajar.

"I just came to see her! I have a right! She is my daughter as well!" came the foreign accent of her father.

* * *

Jason Bowers was an American photographer who had came to Japan for his studies and to take wonderful pictures of the surrounding area. He ended up taking a picture of a woman who had walked right in front of an old shrine that Jason was trying to take a picture of. At first, he was pissed as hell that someone ruined his perfect shot, but when the film was developed, his perspective changed. The woman had jet black hair that fell past her chin. Her delicate hand was reaching up to brush some of the black curtain behind her ear. Her pale skin was like porcelain, and her oriental eyes sparkled in the sun light. Jason had tried to find her again, but the woman was so elusive! He finally found her outside a quaint café with some of her friends. He approached her and asked her to be his model, and he was turned down. Being a man with an important mission, Jason Bowers did not give up very easily. He constantly asked the woman to be his model for a whole week before she said yes.

"And what is such a beautiful woman such as yourself called?" he asked.

"I am Emiko Higurashi." She said in a haughty tone. "And I'll have you know that I'm only doing this because you were so damn persistent!"

"Such a dirty mouth on such a beautiful woman!" Jason teased, and Emiko had scoffed at his remarks.

Throughout the time that the two spent together taking pictures, Emiko tried to resist him, but Jason's foreign charm had captured her interest. The two grew fond of each other and soon the two claimed that they were in love. Emiko was so smitten with Jason, and she was sure he felt the same way. A month later, Emiko had become pregnant. It seems that Jason wasn't as in love as he claimed. He left for the States, leaving Emiko alone to care for the child for sixteen years.

* * *

"Biologically, Jason, yes you are." Emiko snapped back at the American man who stole her heart. "But you were never here for Nana! You never came back! I don't want her to have anything to do with you!"

Nana walked into her house to see that her parents were both standing in the front room snapping at each other. Her father's back was to her, and as soon as she saw Nana, Emiko Higurashi's face softened.

"Nana?" she said cautiously. "How much did you hear?" Nana didn't reply. She let her bag slump to the floor, and she went to get Kira's mp3 and left. Nana walked down to the old playground that was across the street from the Sohma main house. The place was empty. Of course it would be. It was almost six o'clock. Nana sat at one of the empty swings and let her feet kick the ground gently so that she was swaying back and forth. She put the head phones of the mp3 into her ears and played the music.

_Akehanashita mado ni mawaru ranbu no DEEP SKY_

_AH aoide..._

The song seemed to ease the tears to fall from her eyes. Nana sat there silently as the tears fell down her cheeks.


	7. New Friends and Realizations

**A/N: I couldn't remember the Japanese spelling of the high school that Tohru and the Sohmas attend, so I'm sorry if I got it wrong. Thanks for all the positive feedback. I'm really happy that you all like it! **

* * *

"_Kurikaesu hibi ni nan no ima ga aru no?_

_AH sakende…_

_Tobidasu GO"_

The music continued to flow from Nana's headphones, and the tears continued to fall. It was getting dark out, and there was a chill in the air. Nana shivered a little, but she didn't move from her spot on the swing. A couple about her age was walking by the park that Nana was at when the girl stopped. Nana did not look up, but she could just see the blue fabric of her school uniform. So, these were people from her school. The Higurashi girl ignored them even when the girl came closer towards her. Nana turned up her music ever so slightly. She could just barely hear the girl talking to her.

"Excuse me." Is what it sounded like she said.

"_Ano niji wo watatte ano asa ni kaeritai_

_Ano yume wo futari aruita GLAMOROUS DAYS"_

The girl tugged lightly at Nana's shirt sleeve, and figuring that there was no way to ignore the bothersome girl any further, Nana pulled out one of her head phones and looked up at the girl.

"What is it?" She said in an uninterested tone.

"Uh, hi." The girl said. "I'm Tohru Honda, and I couldn't help but notice you sitting here all by yourself."

Honda…Nana knew that name. Wasn't she that girl that Yuki Sohma liked? Wasn't she in her class?

"Hi." Nana said. "I'm Nana Higurashi. You wouldn't happen to be in class 1-D would you?"

"Oh, yes I would." Tohru said happily. "Why? Are you in that class too? I've never noticed you before." Nana snorted a little, and the reality of Tohru's words hit the Honda girl like a ton of bricks. "Oh I'm so sorry! I didn't mean it like that! What I meant was that I never really talked to you, so I kinda forgot you were there! I mean, I just-"

"It's alright. I know what you mean." Nana said, interrupting Tohru. "You really haven't talked to me much, so you don't really know me." Nana flashed Tohru a small smile.

"Miss Honda?" came a cool, smooth voice from behind Tohru. "Is this one of your friends?" Tohru let out a little, surprised 'oh' sound.

"Yuki, this is Nana Higurashi." Tohru introduced. "She's in our class."

"It's nice to meet you Miss Higurashi." The prince of Kaibara High said as he held out a hand for Nana to shake. The Higurashi girl took it timidly and shook it.

"So, what are you doing out here so late at night?" Tohru asked, and Nana, not really wanting to reveal her family issues just told Tohru that she wanted some fresh air. "Well, it's getting so late. Aren't you hungry?"

"No, not rea-" Nana's stomach growled loudly in the middle of her protest. "Maybe just a little."

"Well, why don't you come to our house for dinner?" Tohru offered. She then turned to Yuki. "Would that be okay, Yuki?"

"Of course it would." The prince turned his gaze towards Nana. "Any friend of Miss Honda's is a friend on mine. Please Miss Higurashi, would you like to stay for dinner?" Nana blushed a little at the sudden offer.

"O-o-oh, I couldn't impose or anything." She said, but Yuki shook his head.

"You wouldn't be imposing because we're inviting you." Nana started to shake her head from side to side.

"Really," she started. "I couldn't. Besides, I think my mom is expecting me home soon."

"Well then maybe we could walk with you?" Tohru suggested.

"Yes, it wouldn't be safe for you to walk alone at this time of night." Yuki added. Nana stared at the two of them thinking of a way to turn their offer down, but there just didn't seem to be any way out of it. With a small 'fine', Nana started to lead the way towards her house the unavoidable arguments she was sure her parents were having.

Kyo followed behind quietly with the hood of his blue sweater up.

* * *

"Why the hell am I following them?" Kyo asked himself quietly, though he already knew the answer. It was because of Tohru. He still couldn't help but want to be by her side even though she wanted that damn Yuki. What was so great about him? He was that damn rat, Prince Yuki. There wasn't anything princely about him. If only his fangirls could see what a sissy boy he really was. He would do a much better at taking care of Tohru. Yet every time he picked a fight with Yuki, that damn rat always won.

Kyo continued to follow the three wondering where the hell they were going and wishing he could get a better look at who that person they were walking with was. From this distance, Kyo could swear that she looked just like Tohru. He went on walking into an unfamiliar part of town as he followed the three. Where were they going?

"Well, this is my house." Came a voice that Kyo knew. He looked over towards the three, and saw that they were standing under a street lamp. Nana's face was illuminated in the light. So Tohru and Yuki were walking her home? Why was she out so late anyways?

"Wow!" Tohru exclaimed. "This is such a nice house Nana!"

"Yes, Miss Higurashi. I had no idea you lived in such a large home." Yuki added.

"Yeah, this part of town is pretty small, so people are usually pretty surprised when they see how large my house is compared to the others." Nana said with an embarrassed tone. Kyo looked over at the house and saw that it was a bit bigger than the other houses in this part of town. It was really clean too, and the lawn looked like it was cut every week. Flowers lined the driveway all the way up to the porch. Two cars sat in the driveway. One was just one of those normal everyday cars you saw, but the other was a sleek black one that reminded Kyo of the kind of car that Hatori drove. Was she rich or something?

"Wow, are you rich?" Tohru asked dumbly, and Nana gave a nervous laugh.

"No, my mom just works at one of hospitals run by the Sohma family." The Higurashi girl said. "I think she mentioned once having to get some papers to a guy named Hatori. I think she works under him or with him."

"Ah." Yuki mused.

"Well, I better get going. My mom is probably worried about me." Nana said, and she waved her goodbyes as she walked towards her house.

* * *

Nana walked over to the tree by her bedroom window and started to climb upwards. Just as she was about to go in through her window, she noticed a person walking towards Yuki and Tohru. His orange hair lit up in he glow of the street lamp.

"Damn it!" Kyo snapped. "What was taking you so long?"

"We were walking one of Miss Honda's friends home you stupid cat." Yuki said coldly.

"What was that? Say that too my face!"

"Stupid, cat." Yuki said again, drawing out each syllable of the word stupid.

"Damn it!" Kyo cursed. "I'm gonna wipe that sissy boy smirk right off your face!"

"Oh please stop fighting!" Tohru said worriedly. "What if we wake up Nana and her family?" The boys fell silent, and Nana continued to watch them.

"What did you come all the way up here for anyways?" Yuki asked. "Did you follow us here?"

"No!" Kyo snapped angrily. "I came to see why you were taking so long to bring Tohru home!" There was a slight blush across his cheeks that made Nana give a slight gasp. "Besides, I was hungry."

'_So,'_ Nana thought to herself._ 'Kyo likes Tohru as well as Yuki. I should have known. They hang out so much, it would be hard for a sweet girl like her not to rub off on them.'_ Nana sighed to herself yet again and then reached for her windowsill. Carefully, Nana tried to get to the window, but the branch below her buckled and sent falling to the ground. She let out a small scream as she went.

"Ow…my head." She said as she went to feel the back of her head. It stung, and when she withdrew her hand, she saw a little blood on it. "Ow." She said again.

"Oh my gosh, are you okay Nana!" came a voice from right beside her. It was Tohru, and Yuki and Kyo were right behind her.

"What the hell were you doing up there?" Kyo said a little irritated. "Are you trying to kill yourself or something?"

"Kyo that's enough." Yuki snapped at his cousin before turning to Nana. "If you don't mind me asking, Miss Higurashi, what were you doing?" Nana couldn't tell them that she was listening to their conversation. She was getting a little closer to Kyo, and she was now sort of friends with Tohru and _the_ Prince Yuki.

"Oh, I was climbing up to get into my window." Nana said nervously. "The doors were locked, and I didn't have my key, so I climbed up the tree by my window." Nana tried to get up, but she found that her legs were shaking too much.

"I don't think it's a good idea for you to be getting up." Yuki said as he put a hand on Nana's shoulder and gently pushed her back down. He looked up at Kyo. "Go get some of Miss Higurashi's things."

"Why should I do it?"

"Because someone needs to call Shigure and have him get Hatori."

"Wait, what's going on? Who's Shigure?" Nana asked, and Tohru smiled at her.

"Shigure is Kyo and Yuki's cousin." She said.

"Then why do you need to call him?"

"Because we need to let him know ahead of time that you'll be coming to stay with us for the night." Yuki answered. Nana blushed a little. She would be staying in the same house as Kyo?? She had dreamed of this for so long, but she wasn't about to give herself away.

"Oh, that's okay. I'll just ring the doorbell."

"Look, you can barely stand and you've got a gash on your head. Just let us help you dammit!" Kyo said, and Nana blushed a little more. "Now, where are your things?"

"Why don't I just show you where they are?" Nana suggested.

"You can barely stand though!" Kyo snapped. Nana slowly got up. Her legs were still shaking, but she could stand. "You're legs are shaking stupid!" Nana didn't listen. She walked over towards the tree and started to climb it. She made it to the branch that snapped under her weight and then looked at Kyo.

"Well?" She asked. "Are you coming up?" Kyo made an angry sound that sounded like something a cat would make, then quickly made his way up the tree. Nana carefully maneuvered her way on the branches and into her house. Kyo looked around Nana's room and saw how simple it was compared to the outside of her house. The walls were colored in just one simple color, though he couldn't tell what it was in this lighting. Was it orange? Her bed sat against the wall, and opposite that, there was a desk. A plastic plate with food was set on it. It was some weird foreign food.

"Hey Nana," he said as he turned around. "do you wanna bring this?" Nana looked up from packing her backpack. A pair of panties were in her hands, and at this Kyo blushed a little. Nana didn't seem phased.

"Uh, sure. Can you carry it?"

"Tch, fine."

Kyo managed to help Nana get down from her room without transforming, and soon the four of them were off to Shigure's house.


	8. Stinging Transformation

"Well, well, well," came the voice of Shigure Sohma as Yuki, Tohru, Kyo and Nana all trudged into the house. "looks like we'll be having a guest tonight."

"Shut it Shigure." Kyo snapped as he sent a death glare at the novelist. Shigure gave a shaky laugh.

"Well, I called Hatori and he said he'd be here soon." Shigure said. "Now, will someone tell me why I called?"

"Nana accidentally fell out of a tree and hit her head." Tohru piped up. The way she said it made it seem like the trio just happened to come across Nana right before she fell.

"Yeah." Nana said. "Tohru and Yuki walked me home and I couldn't find my key, so I climbed tree by my window and fell."

"Well, since you hit your head, you might want to lay down. I'll see if I can call your house and let your parents know you're safe. Can I have your number?"

"When you say it like that, it sounds so wrong." Yuki hissed.

"Oh Yuki, have you little faith?" Shigure questioned in a fake hurt tone. "I just want to help put her family at ease."

"I'll take care of that." Came another voice. Everyone looked to see a man with short black hair. Some of his bangs swept over one of his topaz eyes. He looked very professional seeing as he was wearing a suit and everything. He had a doctor's bag in his hand and was stuffing car keys into his pocket with the other. "Your mother wouldn't happen to be Emiko Higurashi would it?"

"Yeah," Nana said. "that's her, but how did you know?"

"She works with me at the office. She talks of you often, Nana." Hatori said. His voice sounded almost monotonous. Nana still felt a blush creep on her cheeks.

"Ahh! Haa-ri, don't tell me you are getting a crush on little Nana here!" Shigure giggled. He sounded so much like a dirty school boy. Hatori ignored his comments and kneeled in front of Nana and started to pull out all these random instruments. He pulled out a light and bandages and several other things. After Nana was all patched up and was sporting a bandage around her head, Hatori started to clean up. It all went by pretty fast.

"Does she have a concussion?" Yuki asked Hatori, and the doctor shook his head.

"She'll be fine." He reassured. "She just needs some rest. I'll call her mother and let her know where she is."

"Thank you Doctor Hatori." Nana said with a smile. The doctor gave her a curt nod, looked over at Shigure and then left. Everyone was quiet for a bit, waiting to see what would happen next. Shigure suddenly clapped his hands together.

"Well," he said enthusiastically. "I think it's time that Tohru made us some dinner." Tohru panicked a bit and started to apologize for making them starve. Kyo snapped at Shigure for being inconsiderate and Yuki glared daggers at the older Sohma. Nana, on the other hand, followed Tohru into the kitchen.

"Hey, do you need some help?" the Higurashi girl asked.

"Oh, Nana!" Tohru said with a surprised tone. "No, it's okay. Besides, you need to rest. Hatori said that it'll make you feel better."

"Are you sure? I'd kinda feel bad if I didn't help out since you guys are letting me stay the night here." Nana insisted. She fidgeted around a bit as her eyes averted the girl in front of her. Ever since she saw that it was _Tohru_ that Kyo liked, she felt a little nervous around her. She didn't understand why, but it was just kind of strange to be around her despite how nice she was.

"It's fine." Tohru said with a smile. Nana tried to smile back. She must have looked stupid.

"Alright." Nana finally gave in. "I'll just go look for Shigure and ask him where I should sleep." Just as Nana was leaving, the novelist was walking into the kitchen and there was a head on collision between the two. A poof of smoke surrounded Shigure as he fell backwards, and what fell to the floor wasn't a human body, but a dog. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry Shi-" Nana started, but stopped when she saw the dog and Shigure's robe. Was it just her, or was there a black lab sitting where she thought Shigure was? Tohru was silently panicking behind Nana, wondering what she would say to persuade her friend that Shigure didn't just in fact turn into the dog in front of her.

"Uh-h, N-nan-na-a…that's u-uh…" the Honda girl stuttered as Nana turned to face her.

"Did you guys always have this dog?" Tohru stopped stuttering and just stared at Nana.

"Why yes." Came Yuki's voice. He had heard the commotion and came to see his cousin in his cursed form. "He's just shy when it comes to new people. He must have taken a liking to you." Nana smiled and kneeled down to be face-to-face with what she thought was just another dog.

"He's really cute." She said as she began to scratch behind his ear. "He seems friendly too, but I could have sworn I saw Shigure here."

"You must've just imagined it. You did hit your head pretty hard." Yuki pressed. He hoped that Nana would buy into it. He really didn't want another family incident on his hands. The thought of having to bring her to Akito just brought chills to him.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Nana agreed. "I was wondering where I was going to sleep. That's why I was looking for Shigure."

"You'll be sharing a room with Miss Honda. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all." Nana was smiling as she said this. "It'll be like a sleep over." Yuki gave her one of his princely smiles.

"Alright then. Why don't you come and lay in the other room. It'll help your head. I'll even get you some aspirin to dull any pain." Yuki led Nana over towards the living room. There was a table sitting in the middle of the room, and nearby was a television set. Kyo was laying on the ground watching the commercial on the TV. He didn't say much when Nana entered the room and sat at the table. He didn't even do anything when Yuki came back with some pills and a glass of water. Nana quietly thanked the 'Prince' and started to stare at Kyo. Her fingers rolled the pills around on the table without her putting much thought to it.

"Why the hell are you staring at me?" Kyo suddenly said making Nana jump.

"Oh, sorry." Nana mumbled.

"If you've got something to say, then you should really spit it out." The orange haired boy continued. Nana started to blush a bit. She mumbled another apology. "You don't have to keep apologizing. It's really pissing me off. Just say what you gotta say." Nana didn't say anything, not even another 'I'm sorry'. She continued to play with the pills before finally taking them. Kyo was silent again and watching the program playing on the TV.

"You must really like her." Nana said softly. Kyo titled his head back to look at the girl. His bangs flopped backwards and the way he looked at her made Nana blush. He looked so cute like that.

"What are you talking about?"

"Tohru." Nana stated. "You must really like her." Kyo's eyes got a little wider, but only for a split second. He sat up and turned to get a better look at the girl talking to him. He looked at her like she was some kind of freak. Her cheeks looked red. Was it from her head?

"What the hell made you think that?" He tried to deny, but he could feel his own face flushing. Damn it all.

"The way you looked at her. I noticed it. You didn't have to say anything, it was all in the way you watched her."

"Don't go saying stuff that you know nothing about!" Kyo snapped. His voice was a little louder. Nana heard someone walk to the doorway, but neither she nor Kyo looked away from each other. "You don't even know me."

"We're friend's, aren't we?" Nana asked. Her voice quivered a little.

"I never asked you to be my damn friend!" Kyo retorted again. His ruby eyes were narrowed and glaring into Nana's blue ones. The orange haired youth suddenly got up and stormed outside. A chill from outside made her shiver.

"Well," said Shigure, who was standing behind Nana adjusting his robes. "I think we should leave him be. For now, it's dinner time."


	9. A Second Chance

**A/N: Since everyone at the Sohma house besides Shigure doesn't know that Akito is a girl, she will be referenced as 'him', 'he', and so on. When Shigure is around Kureno, Hatori or Ayame he'll refer to Akito as a girl.**

* * *

"Alright Mom, I'll come straight home after school." She said before hanging up her cell phone and placing it in her bag. She headed towards the door, already in her school uniform, and carefully opened the door as to not make any noise.

"Don't you think it's a bit early to be leaving for school?" came a voice from behind her, and she turned to see a certain novelist smiling at her as he wiped the sleep from his eyes.

"Oh," Nana said softly. "my mom sent for a car to come and get me. Mr. Hatori must have given my mom your address. Besides, I have to get to school early and put away the kendo equipment in the gym." Shigure nodded his head at the girl, taking in all she was saying.

"And may I ask why you have to put it away?"

"Well, kendo club is cancelled today. I have to go straight home after school and I can't take care of club." Nana flashed Shigure a small smile. In the distance, a car horn sounded. "I guess that's my ride." Nana said as she jabbed her thumb in the car's general direction. "Thanks ever so much for letting me stay the night here. I really do appreciate it." The Higurashi girl bowed politely to the novelist before turning on her heel and leaving the Sohma house. Shigure stayed still and watched as Nana left and didn't move until he couldn't hear the sound of tires rolling across the dirt path.

* * *

"Why didn't you transform?" The dog asked the cat. The rat next to them stared in wonder.

"When did she even have a chance to bump into you?" the rodent asked. What was that strange tone in his voice?

"I don't know!" The cat hissed. "She bumped into me when I ran from the Main House and even when I was leaving class. I don't know how come I didn't transform. I just didn't." The cat glared quietly at the rat from where he was standing while the rodent looked away with indifference. "She must have just clipped my shoulder."

"Settle down." The dog said with a stern tone of voice. Neither the cat nor the rat bothered to look towards the canine, but they were still listening. "We just have to be more careful, that's all. She can't know our secret. If she were to find out and Akito knew, then 'he'd' have Tohru's memory erased." The other two animals looked towards the dog. Neither one wanted Tohru to forget. Not even the dog himself wanted that horrible thought to become a reality. Even so, the cat's thoughts still lingered on the idea. "Now," the dog suddenly spoke, grabbing the young cat's attention. "I want you two to act normal. Don't do anything differently and make sure she doesn't find out. Nana can't ever find out."

* * *

Kyo walked through the halls towards his locker; his mind still lingered on what Shigure had said about Tohru getting her memory erased. In a way, it would be better for him if she were to forget that he ever loved her. Of course, it would hurt him, but at least he wouldn't have to see her eyes staring at him with such caring and know that it's only from one friend to another. It would be so much easier in the long run, and that damn rat, Yuki, wouldn't be looking so smug. A sad smirk curled Kyo's lips. The thought was interesting, but he still knew it was wrong.

The orange haired youth turned the corner and saw a young girl at her locker. For a moment, he almost thought it was the same girl who was plaguing his thoughts, but it was just Nana Higurashi. It was strange how similar she and Tohru were. She had the same length hair that was a rich, dark brown. She had crystal blue eyes that looked almost exactly like Tohru's. She even acted like the Honda girl! She was caring and sweet, and she was also perceptive.

Despite being so alike, Kyo saw how different they really were. Nana's skin was much lighter than Tohru's. It wasn't that soft shade of peach like Tohru's was. Nana's hair was actually darker than the Honda girl's as well. And her blue eyes were actually brighter. Instead of the cerulean blue of Tohru's eyes, they were much brighter. They were like the color of the oceans you see only in pamphlets for dream vacations. Not only that, but Nana was actually shy compared to Tohru, and she blushed so much more. Still, with her quiet nature, Nana was still someone who spoke her mind. The memory of the previous night made Kyo feel ashamed of himself for yelling. He never meant to upset Nana. He was just so wrapped up with Tohru, it was hard to let someone else in. Kyo made his way towards Nana just as she was closing her locker.

* * *

Nana was just about to leave for class when she heard someone call out to her. She turned to see the brash young Sohma who had yelled at her the night before. He had a strange look on his face. Was that even a hint of color in his cheeks?

"Hi, Kyo." Nana said nervously as her crush approached her. His hand went directly behind his head, and his eyes averted hers.

"Look, about yesterday…"

"No, it was my fault." Nana interrupted. "I shouldn't have said anything. It wasn't my business."

"Just let me finish, okay?" Kyo snapped. Nana looked at him and waited for him to continue. He groaned. "Look, if you hate me, that's fine. I probably deserve it. I mean, I shouldn't have yelled…oh, just hit me if that's what you want!" It then dawned on the young Higurashi what he was trying to do.

"Kyo, are you trying to apologize?" she asked, and the tint of pink in Kyo's cheeks got darker.

"Look, I don't do this often okay?" Kyo retorted. He tilted his head upwards to keep himself from looking Nana in the eye. The girl giggled, and for the first time, Kyo looked directly at her.

"What's so funny?" he demanded, and she just kept giggling.

"Nothing." She said. "But thank you." The two stood in silence for a little while. A warning bell rang throughout the halls, and students started to hurry towards their classes. "So," Nana said after a while. "are we friends?" Kyo looked at her for a while before giving her a crooked smile.

"Yeah." The two walked to class and continued on with the rest of the day.

* * *

Nana unlocked the front door to her house and walked in. She had noticed that her father's car was still parked in front.

"Nana," came her mother's voice. "come into the living room." Nana trudged further into her house and found her mother sitting on the couch. She had a grim expression on her face. "Nana, I'm not staying here. Your father insists on staying in this house, and I'm not going to be in the same house as him." So many thoughts were rushing through the young girl's mind. Did this mean she was moving? Would she have to transfer schools? Would she ever see Kyo again? "I've booked a hotel room, and I still have money to pay for a second one." Emiko continued. "You could come with me and stay. You wouldn't have to transfer or anything."

So her mother really was asking her to leave. Nana honestly didn't want to leave. It was like leaving behind a part of her. Nana had grown up in this house, and she felt as if she'd be betraying the memories she made here.

"Mom." She said softly, and her mother cocked her head to the side. "I want to stay."


	10. Connect

Shigure stared at Akito from across the room. The head of the family had her head tilted upwards towards the sky as she sat by the door.

"So she has no idea?" She asked. Her voice sounded so cold. Shigure nodded his head, and for the first time during his visit, Akito looked at him. "Good," she said. "make sure she never does." Again, Shigure nodded and was dismissed so that he may return home and enjoy the left over curry and stew dish Tohru had made.

* * *

Nana was sitting in her kitchen eating breakfast quietly. Jason had made his way downstairs and was pilfering through the fridge. Every now and again he would make disgusted noises at the contents.

"Do I need to go shopping after school?" Nana asked suddenly, making her father jump.

"Geez, Nana!" he practically yelped. "You're so quiet, I hadn't noticed you there." He gave the girl a sheepish smile. A slight blush of embarrassment played across his face. "Yeah, shopping would be a good idea. Your mom always had some bad taste in food."

"Is there anything you want in particular?"

"Uh…I don't know, but I'll txt you a list. You do have a cell phone, right?" Nana nodded, and proceeded to exchange numbers with her dad. It was really strange. He was acting like a guy at school rather than a father. It was like he was the guy that was modest but popular and really easy to get along with. His light blonde hair contrasted her mother's black hair. Perhaps that's why Nana's hair turned out brown. She noticed that his eyes were a lot like her own. She looked a lot like her mother, but there were these little things about her like her eyes that were like her father.

"Well, I have to get to school." She said and started to turn away but stopped at hearing her father call her back.

"Look," he started. "I don't really know what to do. I've never had a teenage daughter, and I'm really regretting walking out on your mom like I did." His eyes were downcast at this point. "But still, I want to try and be a good dad. I don't know if I'll be any good at it, but with your help, maybe I can be a dad you'll be proud of." He really had the right idea, and with his comforting hand on her shoulder, Nana couldn't help but smile and nod at him.

"Okay." She said and turned away again. "I'll see you later…Dad."

* * *

Tohru walked on with Yuki and Kyo with her. A smile was on her face, but her mind was working through several things. Most of what she was thinking about revolved around Kyo. She wondered if he was still upset. It hurt her to see that her best friend was in so much pain, and all because of her. Was it _because_ she wanted to be his best friend that he was so angry? He did open himself completely when she saw his true form. Perhaps there was more to that night than she remembered.

"Ah, Miss Higurashi." Yuki's voice tore Tohru from her thoughts and she looked up to see Nana. Something about her seemed off.

"Hi." She said quietly, and took a place next to Kyo. Tohru watched her and noticed a blush on her face.

"Hey, what's wrong with you?" Kyo asked, looking down at the girl and causing her to blush a bit more. It reminded Tohru of how Kyo used to act around her. From time to time, he still did.

"Nothing really." Nana replied. She sounded distant.

"Please, Miss Higurashi," Yuki said again. "if there is something wrong, perhaps we can help."

"It's not really like anything is wrong," Nana said. Her voice was a little stronger. "just weird." The trio looked at her, silently pushing her for more information. "My dad came back from the states, and my mom isn't too happy. He had left her when she was pregnant with me, and we haven't heard from him until now. Mom is at a hotel while dad stays at the house. It's so strange, it seems like he's really trying to be my dad."

Kyo scoffed. "How is that strange?" Yuki glared at his cousin. Nana shook her head, not really wanting to talk about it anymore, and soon the four made it to school.

* * *

The school bell chimed and Nana made her way towards the door, but was stopped by Tohru Honda.

"Nana," She said. "would you like to hang out for a little while after I get back from grocery shopping?" Nana smiled a little.

"Actually, Tohru, I have to go shopping too. Why don't we go together?" Nana suggested, and Tohru smiled and nodded. She let Yuki know that she'd be gone. Kyo wasn't around.

The two girls walked up and down the aisles of the super market, grabbing random items and chatting about things such as school and the two Sohma boys.

"Nana," Tohru said quietly, catching her friend's attention. "do you like Kyo?" Nana seemed to lose her composure, but only for a split second.

"What makes you think that?" She asked, and Tohru smiled knowingly at her.

"I don't know. I just thought you might." Nana gave her friend a shaky laugh and continued with her shopping.

Nana felt so strange. As soon as Tohru asked that question, Nana seemed to freeze. She didn't realize what she was putting in her shopping basket, nor did she care. She just didn't want Tohru to know. The girl was more perceptive than Nana had ever thought.

"Well, let's go pay for our things." Tohru said happily and she led Nana towards the cashier. They had no idea that Kyo was just a little ways away.

Kyo had heard what was being said, and was surprisingly anticipating Nana's answer. He was actually shocked at what she had said, and a little hurt. Was he not likeable? Many girls found him to be attractive, surely Nana thought so too. She _was_ constantly blushing around him. Maybe it was just Kyo's imagination, but he wanted to know for sure. It was strange. He really didn't know Nana that well, and he really didn't like her in _that_ way, but still, she was interesting.

The orange haired youth followed the two girls up until they parted ways. To follow Tohru was to go home and possibly face more hurt. To follow Nana, was to learn more about her and see why it was he was thinking about her answer to Tohru so much. Making up his mind, Kyo walked after the Higurashi. It was getting dark, and streetlights were turning on. Kyo had forgotten how far Nana's house was. Did she seriously walk this everyday to get to school? Finally, they reached her house, and Kyo skulked in the shadows by her windows. Luckily most of them were open.

"I'm home." She called. The television was on in one room.

"I'm coming." Came the voice of what Kyo guessed was her father. He was strange looking in Kyo's opinion. His hair was naturally blonde, and his eyes seemed to be much wider. He didn't even look that old like most kids' parents. He looked considerably young. How old were her parents when they conceived her? "Ah, so I see you got some extra treats."

"Yeah." Nana said hesitantly. "Mom always said I had your tastes, so I thought you'd like this as well." The man chuckled.

"So Emiko did talk of me then?" Nana nodded, and the man chuckled again. "Well, I've never tried this, but I'm ready and willing." Nana gave a small smile and turned to get things ready to cook. "Do you need help?"

"Uh…yeah." Nana said. There was a hint of surprise in her voice. "Can you get some oil and start beating some eggs?"

"Sure, hun." Nana's father said, and the two began making dinner. Kyo noticed that Nana was smiling, and the young cat decided it was time to make his leave.


	11. The Question

"So you stayed the night at Kyo and Yuki Sohma's _house?!_" Kira practically shouted. Nana quickly tried to cover her friend's mouth so that none of Kyo or Yuki's fangirls would hear. Nobody even looked up.

"Yeah, I did." Nana said as she sat back down and took her hand from Kira's mouth. "And something else happened."

"What?" Kira asked as she started to get more interested in her best friend's story.

"My dad came back." Kira gasped at what her friend said.

"You mean the one who left your mom when she was pregnant with you? No way!" Nana just nodded at the Arukawa girl. "I thought he was in the states."

"He was. He just decided to come back." Nana explained.

"What about Emiko? I bet she isn't too happy about this."

"Mom's in a hotel room down town."

"Man that has to be so hard on you guys. I mean, your American dad coming home and driving your mom out? What's up with that?"

"He didn't _drive_ her out. Mom chose to leave on her own. My dad has actually been making an effort to connect. He's pretty cool." Kira was taken aback by this statement.

"Whoa, did you just say that your dad is _cool?_"

"You'd have to meet him." Nana replied. Kira sighed and shook her head at her friend. Kira always thought that Nana could be too naïve and nice for her own good. She just hoped that her dad wasn't some creep. She hoped even more that Nana would have someone to fall back on if something bad did happen.

"So, are you going to ask Kyo out?" Kira asked suddenly making Nana jump. Her face was steadily turning pink.

"What are you talking about?" the Higurashi girl stammered, and Kira just laughed.

"Oh, come on! I'm your best friend! I can so tell when you're crushing on someone." Nana's face got a darker shade of pink. "Besides, Kyo has been stealing glances at you all day." Nana jerked her head towards her friend.

"Really?" She asked. Nana peeked over at the orange haired Sohma boy, and just as she was looking, her eyes locked with crimson ones before Kyo turned away. His cheeks held a red tint to them. Nana quickly looked away and had a red tint to her own face. Kira was giving her the 'I-told-you-do' look.

* * *

After school, Nana started to walk home. She could hear footsteps behind her, but she didn't turn to see who it was. Why was Kyo Sohma staring at her? It was so strange. She even caught him doing it during some of her other classes. Why on _earth_ would he be looking at _her_ when he liked _Tohru_? The footsteps were coming closer, and Nana didn't even notice until someone was walking on either side of her.

"Hi, Nana." Tohru said cheerfully, and Nana smiled at the girl. She couldn't help it. Tohru had that certain spark that made Nana want to smile.

"Hey Tohru." Nana replied. "What's up?"

"Oh, I was just wondering if you'd like to hang out with us. Uo and Hana are going to join us at the park for a picnic and some badminton. Do you want to come?" Tohru smiled sweetly at Nana as she awaited her answer.

"Sure." The Higurashi girl said. "Would you mind if I brought a friend?"

"Oh, of course!" Tohru said delightedly. "It'd be even more fun with more people." Nana laughed and nodded.

"Alright. I'm going to go get Kira and meet you at the park."

* * *

Kyo watched as Nana and her friend made their way to the blanket they were sitting on. Hatsuharu looked up at them as well.

"Is that her?" he asked Tohru and the girl nodded.

"Yep!" she said. "That's Nana Higurashi, and I think that's Kira Arukawa with her." Hatsuharu nodded his head and looked over at the two approaching girls again. They were almost their.

"Ah, Miss Higurashi, nice to see you." Yuki greeted, and Kira almost swooned. "And you must be Miss Arukawa. Nice to meet you." Yuki said as he turned to Nana's friend. Kira giggled and said a meek 'hi'. The group sat and ate their lunch; Nana had brought some extra. After eating the food that Tohru and Nana had prepared, most of the group had went to play. Nana, Hatsuharu, Kira and Kyo all stayed at the blanket.

"Ya know, I'm going to see if I can play on Yuki's team." Kira giggled as she got up to go play badminton with the others. As the Arukawa girl left, Hatsuharu turned to Nana.

"I don't think we've met before." He said. "I'm Hatsuharu Sohma, but please call me Haru. I'm a cousin of Yuki's."

"Uh, hi Haru. I'm Nana Higurashi." The girl said back with a slight blush on her cheeks. Haru didn't smile or anything, he just looked at her.

"Huh," he said after a while. "you look a lot like her." Nana was taken aback. She had no idea what Haru was talking about.

"Tsh," Kyo fumed, startling Nana. He was being so quiet. "what the hell are you going on about Haru?" Haru ignored Kyo and got up.

"I think I'm going to go play with the others." The calm youth said before moving towards the others, leaving Kyo and Nana alone. It was awkward and quiet with only the sounds of the others playing in the background.

"Hey." Kyo said suddenly. Nana looked over at him and saw that he wasn't even looking at her. "Do you like me or something?"


	12. Strange Answer and Even Stranger Feeling

Nana's ears were ringing, and she could feel her heart steadily pounding inside her. The laughter and yells of her friends was just a muffled sound, and all she could hear was that stupid ringing. She stared at Kyo and hoped that she didn't look like a total idiot.

"What makes you think that?" she choked out. Kyo still wasn't looking at her. He flopped onto his back and laid his head in his hands as they were folded behind his head.

"I don't know. I was just thinking." He said. A blush was covering his cheeks. Nana was almost positive that her own face was flushed. It was quiet as she thought of the words that came from the Sohma boy's mouth. "So, do you?"

"Well, yeah." Nana said hesitantly. She carefully thought of her next words as she watched Kyo pink face get darker. "You're a pretty cool guy, and it's cool being able to hang out." She had no idea how he was going to interpret what she had just said, but she hoped it didn't put a strain on what strange friendship they had. For Nana, it was as close as she could get to her crush without things being awkward.

"So, you really _like_ me." Kyo said. It wasn't a question. It was more of a statement. He sounded a little freaked out. This was definitely _not _the direction Nana had hoped this would go.

"Well," she almost stammered. "we are friends, right? If I didn't like you, we wouldn't be friends." Kyo looked over at Nana with a surprised look. Why was he so surprised? Was he expecting her to say something different?

"Hey Nana!!" came Kira's voice. The two looked over to see that everyone was heading back to the blanket, and they all had a slight shine on their faces from the sweat. "Tohru and Yuki just invited us to their house. You wanna come?" Thinking about the invitation, made Nana's mind wander to what her father might think, and with that she came up with an idea.

"Actually, I was just thinking that we could hang out at my house." The Higurashi girl said. "I was telling you that you had to meet my dad, and you all could. It'd be fun." Nana flashed everyone a sweet smile.

"That sounds like a good idea Miss Higurashi." Yuki said, giving off his princely smile. Kira giggled a little. Nana excused herself to call her dad, and she promptly went to dialing her home number with a smile on her face.

* * *

"But Emiko, listen-" he pled, but was interrupted.

"Jason, I told you! You don't even know the girl! You were gone her entire life; you can't just expect her to immediately call you dad." Ms. Higurashi snapped.

"That's the thing though! I _want_ to know her! She's just as much my daughter as she is yours." Jason protested. "Besides," he continued. "I think that she is trying too. Just the other night, she called me 'dad.'" Emiko sighed into the phone.

"Jason, I really hope you don't screw this up." She said sternly. "She may be strong, but she can still break." A beeping sounded on Jason's side of the line.

"Em, do you hear that beep?" he asked.

"You might have another call." The Japanese woman said. Jason excused himself to flash to the other line.

"Hello?"

"Hey Dad, it's Nana." Came the voice of his daughter. "I was wondering if some friends from school could come over and hang out. Maybe some of the girls could spend the night?" she asked. Jason could hear one of Nana's friends saying that she couldn't impose and his daughter reassured her that it'd be fine if he said so.

"Uh, sure Nana. Who all is coming? I'll go to the store and pick up some more food."

"Uh, do you want a list of names now, Dad?" Nana laughed. Jason gave a chuckle of his own.

"Okay, I get it. Just introduce me when I get back from the store."

"Okay Dad." Nana replied. "See you in a bit." A click sounded from the other side and the line was dead. Jason switched back to Emiko's line.

"Em?" He called out.

"I really hate it when you call me that." Came the cold voice of Ms. Higurashi. Jason chuckled again.

"Look, I got to get to the store." He said, ignoring his old flame's comment. "Nana is having some friends over. I'll talk to you later Em." He said, putting emphasis on the pet name he gave to his ex before hanging up.

* * *

The locked clicked as she turned the key and unlocked her home. Everyone filed in. Kira let her bag fall to the floor and kicked it to the wall, having been here several times. Tohru, Arisa and the Sohmas all looked around at Nana's home. Saki looked forward towards the kitchen.

"Do you live with someone?" she asked quietly.

"Uh, yeah." Nana replied. "I live with my dad."

"I can sense his electric signals." Nana laughed nervously as Jason walked into the room.

"Was that supposed to be some kind of pick-up line?" He asked jokingly. Nana groaned at him. "Well, are these your friends Nana?"

"Yeah, this is Tohru Honda, Arisa Uotani and Saki Hanajima." The young Higurashi girl introduced the three girls. "This is Kira Arukawa." She pointed to her best friend. "And this is Yuki, Kyo, Haru and…uh…"

"I'm Momiji!" the blonde Sohma said.

"Right, that's Momiji. They're all from the Sohma family."

"Well, I'm Jason Bowers. I'm Nana's dad." Jason shook everyone's hand, and they headed towards the kitchen. Jason had already started to put away groceries and various snack foods were set out. "I didn't know what you guys would like, but I got a little of everything."

"Dad, did you pick up some leeks like I asked?" Nana inquired, and both Kyo and Jason cringed.

"Hun, I _hate_ leeks." Jason said with disgust. "It was something your mother always tried to get me to eat and I just couldn't." Nana giggled a little.

"Alright then."

* * *

The night went pretty smoothly. Kira approved of Nana's dad and said he was pretty cool. Yuki beat Kyo at one of the video games Nana had gotten as a birthday gift. Laughing and yelling sounded throughout the house, and Jason was even part of it. Despite how much fun everyone was having, Kyo's mind kept wandering to what Nana had said. Did she really like him? Was he just a friend to her? Was he even _dateable?_ So many questions swam through his head, and he even wondered why he was letting this get to him. She wasn't Tohru, and the more he saw Nana, the more he saw that she really wasn't anything like the Honda girl. Kyo sighed when he, Arisa, Yuki, Haru, Momiji and Saki left.

"By Nanan!!" the rabbit called using the new nickname he gave Nana. Kyo thought it was stupid. He ended up smacking Momiji upside the head.

"Shut up!" the cat snapped. "Do you wanna wake up the _entire _neighborhood?"

"WAH!!! Kyo hit me!" Momiji cried, and Kyo became more agitated. He looked over at Nana and Tohru when he heard them laughing quietly behind their hands.

"What's so damn funny?" the orange haired youth asked angrily.

"Don't worry about it, Kyo." Kira said while shooing everyone away. Kyo clicked his tongued in annoyance.

"Whatever." He said as he turned to leave with the others. "Hey Tohru, just hurry up and come straight home tomorrow. I don't want to deal with that damn Yuki and Shigure for too long."

"I could say the same about you." Yuki retorted. The two continued to bicker as they walked down the street. Upon getting home, Kyo walked up to his room and closed the door. His head was clouded with thoughts of everything he talked about with Nana. He was so curious about whether she liked him, but he didn't know what to feel about it. He loved Tohru, didn't he? Of course he did, right? Kyo still couldn't help but notice things about Nana. She did remind him of Tohru, but still she was so different, and he was okay with that. He didn't think that he had feelings for the girl, but there was something about her that made him think and question everything he ever felt.


	13. Sleepover Confessions

Candy bar wrappers and empty soda cans littered the floor around Nana's already full trash can. The three girls were laughing lightly at so many interesting stories that Nana and Kira were telling. Tohru had a light blush on her face as she let out a nervous laugh. Kira had just told the other two about her last boyfriend pulling his pants down to try and have sex with her when her father walked into the room.

"Oh my god, my dad was so upset! He actually dialed the police!" Kira laughed. She rocked backwards and almost spilt her soda all down her front.

"Wow, Kira." Tohru laughed lightly. It was obvious she was beginning to feel uncomfortable. "I never thought you would be this…adventurous." Nana was used to Kira's wild stories of her sexual escapades and whatever other vulgar thing she has done. Of course, the Higurashi girl hasn't tried drugs like Kira had, and she was still a virgin, but it was still interesting to hear about what her friend had done. She knew that Kira would never force her to do anything she didn't want to.

"Hey Kira, let's calm it down. I'm sure my dad is already asleep, and I think you're freaking out Tohru." Nana laughed. Tohru let out a anxious squeak.

"Oh, are we really going to stop?" she asked. Her eyes were wide, and she was shaking a little, but it was obvious how uncomfortable the young girl was, and Nana didn't want to scare her off.

"Yeah, I suppose so." Kira sighed as she wiped her eyes. "Besides, I think we should play a game instead." Her eyes flashed with a hint of mischief, and it made both Nana and Tohru a little uneasy.

"W-what kind of g-g-gam-me?" Tohru stuttered. Nana shifted nervously under her friend's gaze. What was Kira planning?

"Truth or Dare."

* * *

Eruptions of laughter could be heard out in the halls from Nana's room. Inside, the girls were talking amongst themselves about the latest secrets spilt.

"So, _the_ Prince Yuki wears lavender boxers??" Kira laughed. Tohru was covering her mouth to stifle her giggles. She nodded her head.

"Wow, that's something I never knew about the Prince." Nana snickered. "And I can't believe you told us either!"

"Yeah," Kira agreed. "I thought for sure you were going to use your last chicken stick!" At the beginning of the game, each of the girls were given three 'chicken sticks' that they could use to opt out of a truth question or a dare. Tohru had already used two of her chicken sticks on dares. Nana had already used all of hers. They were used on truth questions considering they were mostly about who she would like to sleep with and things about her parents. Kira still had two of her chicken sticks. She only turned down one dare, and that was to run around outside naked. She had said that normally she would have, but it was just too cold out. "Okay Tohru, it's your turn to ask one of us something." Tohru sat for a moment, thinking of who she would ask 'truth or dare.' She then turned to Nana who felt a lump in her throat form. The young Higurashi girl was nervous.

"Truth or dare?" Tohru asked her, and Nana picked truth. She regretted her choice the moment the word left her lips. "Did you mean it when you said that you didn't like Kyo?" Nana tried to swallow the lump in her throat, but she found that her throat was dry. She took a sip of her soda in hopes of trying to wash down the lump that seemed to be getting bigger and preventing Nana from making any other sound that a light choking sound.

"Wait a second," Kira said in disbelief. "You told Tohru that you _didn't_ like Kyo?" Tohru turned to face Kira wish a confused face.

"Did she tell you different?" the Honda girl asked, and Kira nodded. Tohru then turned to Nana. Her eyes were widened slightly. "So you _do_ like Kyo." Nana's own eyes widened. She didn't know what to say. When Tohru said what she said, she wasn't asking Nana for confirmation; she was stating a fact. Nana's face was so red, and at that moment all she wanted to do was just hide. A sigh came from her parted lips, and the truth spilled out.

"Yeah, I told Tohru that I didn't like him."

"So you do?" Tohru asked, and Nana nodded. "Why did you say that you didn't then?"

"I don't know." Nana snapped. Tohru flinched at Nana's sudden burst of hostility, and the Higurashi girl immediately regretted her slight outburst. "I got scared. I really do like him, but I know that he likes you, and I just panicked. I'm sorry I lied, I just really don't know what to do, and I _really_ don't want Kyo to know that I like him."

The three girls were silent. Nana had her head bowed while the Tohru and Kira were both looking at her with blank expressions. Kira, not wanting to make her friend feel any more upset, suggested they all go to sleep, and they all wearily agreed and went to sleep. Nana was still so upset that Tohru found out that she had lied to her, and as she slept, muffled sobs came from her closed lips.

* * *

Nana rushed around the kitchen with a piece of toast hanging from her mouth. She yelled a stifled good-bye to her father as he drearily walked down the stairs. Nana passed him as he yawned his sleepy good-bye. She ran out the door and towards her two friends, who were slowly walking to school. They weren't going at a fast pace. They went as slow as they could so that Nana could catch up, and they could make it to school on time. Up ahead, Kyo and Yuki were waiting.

"Tohru!" Nana called out. The brown haired girl stopped and turned on her heel. Quickly, Nana approached her and hoped that she could speak with her. "Tohru," she said again. "I'm sorry."

"What do you mean?" the girl asked in bewilderment.

"I'm sorry I lied to you." Nana clarified. She felt so weird apologizing. She rarely did anything that warranted it. "I was just so nervous because I know that Kyo likes you and…" Tohru just smiled and shook her head, causing Nana to stop mid-sentence.

"Don't worry about it Nana." She said. "If you thought that I would mind if you liked him, you really don't need to worry." A wave of relief swept over the Higurashi girl. "Besides," Tohru continued. "Kyo may like me now, but I can see that he's noticing you too." Nana was almost completely shocked at what Tohru had said. A surge of happiness washed through her at the thought of Kyo noticing her. Perhaps he would even like her and share her feelings someday. The young Higurashi girl gave her friend a sweet smile and a giggle.

"You really think so?" she asked, and Tohru nodded, sharing that same sweet smile. The two girls then linked arms and started their pace again to join with their friends on the way to school.


End file.
